Missing British model and influencer Rachel Kerr has been found in Agadir and is back with her family, her loved ones have confirmed. Cousin Claire Hill said on Wednesday night: 'Rachel has now been traced and is safe in the care of family. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share and provide support and information.'
Rachel's brother Peter Kerr also expressed gratitude, stating: 'Rachel has now been found and is with her brother. Thanks to everyone who shared the post.'
Discovery in Agadir
Confirmation from Rachel's relatives that she had been located came after reports she had been traced to an apartment in the Moroccan city of Agadir, where she went missing at the weekend during a working holiday. Her loved ones initially refuted these reports. Ayoub Zaroual had said on a local Facebook site: 'Agadir police have located the missing Scottish tourist and influencer Rachel Kerr, confirming she is safe and was found in an apartment in the city after voluntarily checking out of her hotel.'
In a statement released on Wednesday, April 29, the Agadir Security Authority said it received notification of the disappearance on April 27 and immediately launched an investigation, using national security databases to identify the woman and trace her movements. Records confirmed she had entered Morocco on March 30. 'Police located her in an apartment in Agadir, where she was found to have left her hotel of her own accord and had not been subjected to any attack or threat to her physical safety. Authorities confirmed she is still in Morocco under normal circumstances and is in contact with her brother, who entered the country on April 22 and reached her in Agadir.'
Family and Friends' Concerns
Peter initially described the reports as 'fake news,' and family members who had travelled to Morocco to try to find Rachel also rubbished the claims. Rachel's friend Alexis Shaw had said overnight: 'She is in mental crisis and a danger to herself,' as she denied speculation that the Scots tourist had been spending time with a Moroccan barman.
Alexis, who lives in Kirkby near Liverpool, had already confirmed the police were involved in one of her first Facebook posts after the worrying disappearance. She said earlier this week: 'The police are involved. She was last seen at Smart Nightclub at 5am on Saturday morning. She ran out of money completely on Friday. Please get in contact if anyone sees her as police are trying to locate her to get her home safely.'
She told a well-wisher who responded by asking when Rachel was due to fly home: 'She was due to fly home a couple of weeks ago and her brother flew out to find her but she hid her passport as she is in a bad mental place right now. Her brother had to leave and come home after a few days for work and she was refusing to come home. She is no longer in the hotel and has run out of money.'
